WASHINGTON (AP)  Two-thirds of Americans say President
Bush should develop a plan to reduce the emission of gases like carbon dioxide
that have been blamed for causing global temperature increases, says a poll
released Sunday.

In the middle of last month, Bush reversed himself on a
campaign promise that his administration would reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
His administration has also announced it will pull out of an international agreement
aimed at combating climate change.

The Time-CNN poll, taken after the announced pullout, found
that three-fourths of Americans say they consider global warming to be a serious
problem. More than four in 10 said they consider the problem very serious and
three in 10 said it was fairly serious.

European officials have warned the decision to pull out
of the climate agreement, known as the Kyoto Protocol, could harm U.S. relations
with the rest of the world.

Bush said he changed his position because he would not
do anything to further harm the economy or affect the energy supply. He and
Whitman have said the administration remains open to discussions of ways to
reduce global warming.

The Time magazine cover story includes a letter to the
president from former President Jimmy Carter, former news anchor Walter Cronkite,
former astronaut and senator John Glenn, scientist Stephen Hawking and several
others asking the president to "develop a plan to reduce U.S. production of
greenhouse gases."

"No challenge we face is more momentous than the threat
of global climate change," the letter said. "The current provisions of the Kyoto
Protocol are a matter of legitimate debate. But the situation is becoming urgent
and it is time for consensus and action."

By a 3-1 margin, Americans said they believe emissions
of gases like carbon dioxide are causing global temperature increases. Three-fourths
of Democrats and half of Republicans said they believe such emissions are causing
temperatures to increase.

People were evenly split on whether they would be willing
to pay 25 cents more per gallon for gasoline to reduce pollution and global
warming. A decade ago, six of 10 were willing to pay that much more.

A majority  55%  said the government should
require improvements in fuel efficiency for cars and trucks, even if it means
higher prices and smaller vehicles. Four in 10 disagreed.

The poll of 1,025 adults was taken March 21-22 and has
an error margin of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

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